Ground Zero: Roswell
by Lisa1783
Summary: An unexpected illness befalls certain members of the group.
1. Default Chapter

Ground Zero: Roswell **Title**: Ground Zero: Roswell   
**Author**: Denise and Lisa   
**Category**: A little of everyone, but mostly Max and Liz. We can't help it, we are totally helpless Dreamers!!   
**Summary**: The orbs start giving a little trouble for our human friends.   
**Feedback**: Yes please! It's Denise's first fic and my first attempt at a collaboration. If you guys like it, Denise and I might do some more stories together.   
**Disclaimer**: We own nothing. The characters of Roswell don't belong to us, neither do the materials of any spoofs that we may mention. 

They gathered in the cave. "They" meaning Max, Liz, Maria, Michael, Isabel, Alex, and Tess. The cave that they were at was the same cave where the aliens learned of their destiny. They were eager to start what they came to do, but they were still waiting for Kyle and Sheriff Velenti. It was a waiting game. And a very boring game. 

Maria and Michael were busy trying to ignore each other, but it didn't work. They still kept giving each other looks out of the corners of their eyes, thinking that no one noticed. When the truth was everyone noticed what they were doing except for the two of them. Max and Liz were trying to keep a mundane conversation, asking about the weather and other meaningless bull. Even though they were talking about the weather, Liz had something else on her mind. And that was Max. 

Alex was talking to Isabel and Tess about the new spoof song the band was working on called, "Never had my Dream come True Til I met my Alien." Their conversation died too, leaving the group of seven in quietness. 

"They should be here any minute," Tess said, interrupting the silence. With that Kyle and his father, Sheriff Valenti walked into the cave. 

"So, what's so important that you called this meeting?" Kyle asked. 

"This is," Max said, taking the orb out of his book bag. 

"Cool remote, man," Alex said. 

"Shut up!" Michael quipped. 

"Don't tell him to shut up Mi-" Maria was interrupted when the orb staring glowing with a red color. 

"Okay, now what the hell was that?" Maria asked, panicking. 

"Does it always do that?" Kyle asked. 

"No, it just started to yesterday. That's why I called this meeting. We need to find a place to keep this safe from harm, and stop it from getting into the wrong hands," Max said. 

"Did anyone else see this glow?" Sheriff Valenti questioned. 

"Nope. Just Michael, Isabel, and Tess. And now the rest of us in the cave," Max added. 

"What about your house, Isabel and Max?" Liz asked. 

"No, it's the first place people will look," Max answered. 

"Okay, well my office is definitely out of the question, with the FBI out here looking for me to screw up," Valenti said. 

"How about your apartment, Michael?" Alex asked. 

"Yuck! No way. He can't keep that thing clean when he's not hiding some alien communicator walkie-talkie. He won't know where he hid it," Maria remarked. 

"Well, if he doesn't, then we can probably bet no one else would know either. Problem solved. Michael, you take this and keep it in your apartment," Max said, while giving the still red orb to Michael. 

"Sure thing," Michael said. 

"You think you'll get free cable with that thing?" Alex asked. With this remark, they all laughed and Michael elbowed Alex's ribs. "I guess that's my clue to shut up, huh?" 

"Take it as a yes." Liz replied. With that they all left the cave and returned to their homes. 

The next day Maria and Liz were both working at the Crashdown. Alex was sitting at the counter trying to tell them his latest story about the band. Liz started chuckling but noticed that Maria wasn't. "Are you all right, Maria?" 

Maria didn't answer for a second. Then she shook her head, trying to get the cobwebs out. "What? Oh yeah, I'm fine. I think I'm coming down with a cold or something. I should go and take some natural herbs," just to prove her point, Maria started to sneeze. 

Alex looked at her and then down at his plate of fries. "Well, there goes my appetite." 

"Oh, come on, Alex. It's not like I sneezed on your plate," Maria said, but it was hard to hear her because she sounded so stuffed. 

"I'm sorry Darth Vader, what did you say again?" Alex cracked before Liz smacked him in the arm. "Oww! What did you do that for?" 

"It's not nice to make fun of Maria when she's sick," Liz informed him. She then turned to Maria and said, "Why don't you rest a little. I'll cover for you." 

"Thanks, chica. I appreciate it," Maria wheezed back. 

Liz started then checking all the tables now that Maria was temporarily out of commission. As people started coming in for the dinner rush, Liz found herself running back and forth from the kitchen to the diners. Then Mr. Parker came and noticed that she was the only waitress working. 

"Umm…honey, why are you the only one working? Where's Maria?" he asked. 

Liz was too busy to answer her dad so she just kind of shook her head in Maria's general direction before running to receive another order. Mr. Parker looked over at the counter and noticed that _both_ Maria and Alex had their heads laid on the counter. 

He sighed and looked up at the sky as if to say, 'what did they do now?' He walked over to the two and leaned over. "Guys?" 

Maria's head slowly rose and she tried to focus her eyes. "Oh, Mr. Parker, hi. Umm…I know I should be kind of working right now but I'm not feeling…" 

"Okay, Maria. I understand. Why don't you go home and get some rest? How about you, Alex?" 

Alex tried to lift his head but found it too heavy. "No, Mr. Parker, I'm not supposed to work tonight." 

"Alex, you don't work for me at all." 

Alex tried to remember his point but couldn't really think. "Well then, that's good. I needed a vacation anyway." 

Jeff Parker's face showed concern for his daughter's friend. "Okay, Alex, I think I should call your parents and ask them to pick you up. I don't want you driving home. I'll call your mom too, Maria." 

Maria started to whine, "But I didn't do anything." 

Jeff took another look at them and said, "I'm gonna go call them now." 

**So what's up with Maria and Alex? A passing cold bug or something else? Find out more in the next part!!**


	2. Chapter 2

Ground Zero: Roswell (Part 2) Part 2   
The next morning was a typical morning at Liz's house. She was running five minutes late when she heard the telephone ring. 'I'm coming! Just hold on a minute.' Liz was silently thinking. She lunged for the phone when it was on its' fifth ring. 

"Liz?" someone asked. 

"Maria? Is that you?" Liz questioned. Before Maria could say anything a sneeze came over the phone. 

"I guess it is you then." Liz said. 

"Yeah, I just wanted to tell you that I won't be in school today. And before you say anything, NO I am not skipping. I'm too sick to do anything remotely fun. I have a fever of 102.3, I'm sneezing snot galore and throwing up every ten minutes, and I feel like a rat is running around inside my brain. Can you tell my idiot boyfriend that I tried calling him before to tell him, but no one answered the phone." Maria replied. 

"Sure. Are you suppose to be working at the Crashdown tonight?" Liz asked. 

"Damn it! I am. I feel crummy about leaving you in the bind for last night and now today," Maria said. 

"Don't worry about it. I'll get Alex to do it," Liz said. 

"Hate to tell you this, Liz, but remember he wasn't feeling that great yesterday either? I wouldn't be surprised if he was home swallowing DayQuil by the gross," Maria replied. 

"That's right. Don't worry about a thing. I'll find someone to cover for you and I'll tell Michael off for you as well," Liz said. 

"Thanks, Liz. You're the greatest. Maybe you can get the Blonde Alien Queen to work," Maria replied. (Meaning Tess) 

"No thanks, I'll rather do all the tables myself." Liz retorted. 

"I see what you mean. Well, I better go the toilet is calling my name," Maria said. 

"Bye. Get better!" Liz said Then she hung up the phone. Okay, now Maria was out of commission and maybe Alex as well, which means she'll have to deal with Max all by herself. Along with the other three aliens. Yep, just another day in Roswell. 

"Do you think you can work at the Crashdown tonight?" Liz asked Max later in school. 

"Why?" Max asked. 

"Well, Maria is home sick with a bug and she was suppose to work tonight and I really need the help," Liz said. 

'Sure, anything for... a friend." Max said. Before Liz could possibly think of anything else to say both Isabel and Michael walked up to them. 

"So where's your other half Isabel?" Liz jokingly asked. 

"Alex is home sick. He called me this morning to tell me he wasn't coming to school," Isabel said. 

"Oh, I guess Maria was right then," Liz said. 

"You know with both Alex and Maria out with some sort of bug when it isn't even flu season if I didn't know better I would think that something is going on between the two of them," Max joked. He could see that the joke was working by the chin drops made by Michael and Isabel. 

'''Max, stop it. You're scaring the lovebirds," Liz giggled. 

"Woo, Maria and I aren't love birds. So get you story straight." Michael retorted. 

"Oh, by the way, Michael, Maria wanted me to ask why you didn't pick up the phone this morning. She was trying to call you to tell you that she wouldn't be in today. What were you doing?" Liz asked. She turned to see Max and Isabel laughing 

"What?" Liz asked. 

"Well, I lost the orbs and kind of was looking all over my house for them this morning. Good news is I found them." Michael replied. 

"And you wonder why Maria turned to Alex?" Max said laughing. 

"Listen, just between they both are sick doesn't mean they... that the... they... you what I am saying," Isabel said. 

"Well, I sure hope your right. Because then Kyle and the sheriff was doing the same thing along with them," A voice said. Michael, Max, Liz and Isabel all turned to see Tess standing there. 

"What are you talking about?" Michael asked. 

"Kyle and his dad are sick too. I heard you guys talking about how Alex and Maria are sick," Tess said. 

"Hey, I hate to be the pessimist here but does anyone else see anything strange here about four of our closest human friends are sick with the flu when it's not even flu season?" Liz questioned. Her question will go unanswered for mow because before anyone could say anything, they heard the bell ring for homeroom. 

**Sorry that it has taken so long for a new part to come out! Thank you for all the fabulous feedback, you guys are awesome! It's been very encouraging and we hope you liked this part. More to come later, promise!**


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